Here's a look at some of the best new restaurants of 2022, so far. More to come.
Kancha: Chef Angel Cayllahua is an experienced chef and sommelier with a simple but ridiculously good menu of cold and warm tapas-style plates that draw from his Peruvian upbringing and Japanese restaurant training. Cold seafood bites of ceviche, tartare and causas (a Peruvian potato dish) are his specialty. 643 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-623-9793, kanchasr.com (Chad Surmick/The Press Democrat)
La Fondita: Downtown Santa Rosa’s newest restaurant is a quiet cantina by day with nine pages of regional Mexican and Californian classics ranging from breakfast burritos, tacos and enchiladas to ceviche and molcajetes. Things get wonderfully loco after 8 p.m. on weekends, with mariachi bands and mega-margaritas. 630 Third St., Santa Rosa, 707-843-7595, Instagram @lafonditadowntown (Chad Surmick/The Press Democrat)
Vine Burgers: The newest entrant into the local burger game features locally-sourced burgers with a twist. Chef James Byus III has included not only beef burgers but lamb, turkey, chicken, a pork and bacon blend, Cajun ground tuna, salmon and a piled-high crab cake burger. 3579 Industrial Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-536-9654, vineburgers.com (Courtesy of Vine Burgers)
Warike RestoBar: A full bar with pisco sours and other pisco cocktails, plus excellent ceviche, tequeños de cangrejo (wontons stuffed with crab and shrimp) and causa marina (potatoes and crab) make this place worth a visit. The lomo saltado is one of the most flavorful versions around. 527 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-536-9201, warikesf.com (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Zimi on Mission: Pizzas are the restaurant’s bread and butter, with Greek-inspired toppings on their twice-cooked crusts (“zimi” means dough in Greek). Chef Dino Moniodis piles on unexpected combinations that somehow work exactly right. In addition, his made-from-scratch dolmas, flaky spinach spanakopita, and pastitsio, a Greek lasagna, really hit the mark. 500 Mission Blvd., Santa Rosa, 707-541-6323, eatzimionmission.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Animo: One of the buzziest openings of the year, Animo has taken Wine Country by storm with its whole Spanish turbot, Iberico pork, striking apple wall and fiery hearth-cooked food appearing on just about every local chef’s Instagram page. It’s sort of Basque with touches of Korean, but that’s about as far as owners Josh Smookler and Heidy Mu will go in nailing down their vision. 18976 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma. Instagram @animo_restaurant (Kim Carroll/For Sonoma Magazine)
Pezcow: There is plenty to explore on this Mexican-inspired menu, from a ruby-red glass of campechana filled with octopus and shrimp ceviche in lime-orange tomato juice to pollo al horno con mole cooked in the wood-fired oven and served with an outstanding homemade mole negro. The seafood is excellent here, but don’t ignore the land-based dishes. 8465 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor. 707-393-8370. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Molcajete Mar y Terra with seafood and beef from Pezcow in Windsor on Friday, April 1, 2022. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Torre de Mariscos is a tower of seafood, onion, avocado and cucumber from Pezcow in Windsor on Friday, April 1, 2022. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Kina's Kitchen: Needing an overhaul and a fresh start, Picazo Kitchen & Bar was renamed Kina’s Kitchen & Bar and reopened on April 1. Co-owner Kina Chavez says that the new restaurant better reflects her immigrant journey as a Mexican American raised on her mother’s pozole, as well as her passion for modern American cuisine. 19101 Highway 12, Sonoma; 707-935-3287, kinaskitchenbar.com (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Spread Kitchen: Casual Mediterranean cuisine from Cristina Topham includes fresh pita with hummus, beef and chicken shawarma, chickpea and black bean falafel and beef and lamb kofta. Don’t miss the Toum, a creamy whipped garlic sauce that’s irresistible on za’atar fries (and available for takeout). 18375 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, 707-721-1256, spreadkitchensonona.com (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Lo and Behold: Duke's Spirited Cocktails founders Laura Sanfilippo and Tara Heffernon have partnered with Chef Sean Raymond Kelley for a small-plates and cocktails lounge at the former Mateo’s Cocina Latina. The globe-trotting menu pairs perfectly with best-of-class cocktails. 214 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-756-5021, loandbeholdca.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Little Saint: Brilliantly devised meatless dishes with farm-fresh ingredients are created by Michelin-starred chefs, the owners of Single Thread restaurant. Little Saint is part cafe and restaurant, part food lab and now, part performance space. 25 North St., Healdsburg, 707-433-8207, littlesainthealdsburg.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Madrona: After a complete overhaul of the old Madrona Manor, the restaurant — still headed by Chef Jesse Mallgren — has tossed aside complex molecular gastronomy for more approachable, but still opulent, dishes. 1001 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-395-6700, themadronahotel.com (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Troubadour: Single Thread alums Melissa Yanc and Sean McGaughey opened the buzzy new bakery Quail & Condor last year and then spun off their second Healdsburg business at the former Moustache Baked Goods, promising “chef-inspired and locally sourced wizardry” in their sandwiches. 381 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-756-3972, troubadourhbg.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Easy Rider: Easy Rider is that rare bird that fits with the moment, with their approachable Southern-inspired menu, elevated flavors and damn good cocktails on the bustling corner of Kentucky and Washington streets in downtown Petaluma. 33 Washington St., Petaluma, 707-774-6233, easyriderpetaluma.com (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Smoked Trout + Baby Lettuces wit apple, fennel, avocado, pecans and lemon vinaigrette with a Pisco Punch cocktailfrom Easy Rider in Petaluma on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Magdelena's Savories and Sweets: We love the industrial-sized Gold Chai Cinnamon morning rolls for $5.50. Everything at the bakery/cafe is vegetarian or vegan with many gluten-free choices. 5306 Old Redwood Highway N., Petaluma, 707-665-0644, magdelenas.com (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
Sol Food: A Bay Area Puerto Rican food legend has opened in stages, but is finally running on all cylinders. Best bets include Pollo al Horno, Maduros (sweet fried yellow plantains), Cubano sandwich and Tembleque, a creamy coconut pudding with mango sauce. Don’t forget a bottle of pique (spicy vinegar) sauce to pour on … everything. 151 Petaluma Blvd S., Suite 129, Petaluma, 707-347-5998, solfoodpickup.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Charm Thai: Located across from Sonoma State University, Charm Thai is affordable enough for students, generous in its portions and has clean, bright flavors that aren’t completely dumbed down for American tastes. 1710 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, 707-242-3016, charmkitch.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Psychic Pie: The vibe might be psychedelic, but this chef-inspired Roman-style pie isn’t messing around. This spring, the funky pizza pop-up from Bay Area baker Nicholi Ludlow and his wife, Leith Leiser-Miller, found a permanent home in Sebastopol. The shop’s rectangular 9-inch-by-9-inch pizzas are sold by the pound, along with salads, wine, beer, and the world’s most buttery cookies. 980 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol. 707-827-6032, psychicpie.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Sonoma Pizza Co.: The open, airy restaurant in downtown Forestville brings much-needed casual, family-friendly dining to the sleepy town and its surroundings. And the pizza is excellent. It’s been a work in progress for more than a year, but it opened in early June with wood-fired and traditionally baked pizzas dressed with traditional and not-so-traditional toppings. 6615 Front St., Forestville, 707-820-1031, sonomapizzaco.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Bayou on the Bay: Roving French-Cajun fusion pop-up features curry jambalaya, crawfish meat pies, and muffuletta sandwiches, plus other rotating menu items. Instagram @bayou.onthebay (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
I’m suddenly feeling nostalgic. A little more than halfway through 2022, many of us have probably forgotten the fledgling restaurants that impressed us when they opened just months ago. Here’s a reminder of some of the best openings of the year so far. Click through the above gallery for details. And stay tuned for more restaurant openings.
